Yet Another Blog on IT?

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The uber-theme for this blog is best captured by a phrase I heard from a CIO: “I’m moving the function from order-taking to shaping demand for technology solutions”. Shaping demand. It reflects the qualities of exemplar IT leaders I speak with – those who demonstrate unambiguous ownership of business goals and how technology can enable them. Via this forum, I’m hoping to inject my point of view on how IT leaders are running against this vision.

But aren’t there enough commentators on IT out there (here) already?

On many levels, I’m inclined to agree. Perhaps the only redeeming note is the vantage point I am privileged to occupy: for the past five years, I’ve been at the center of the world’s most exciting network for IT leaders and their business partners at the Corporate Executive Board (CEB). As such, my perspective on IT is shaped from immersion in their discussions about day-to-day operational successes and challenges, an evolving sense of professional identity, and the issues they press against as a functional community. It affords those of us who work at CEB a unique opportunity to learn from the best practitioners out there, and, in turn, drive rapid sharing of insight, data, and tools across the network of our members.

My hope is to use this forum to expand the reach of that learning to the ITtoolbox community. Most folks know that ITtoolbox is now part of CEB, so I am doubly excited about the prospect of blogging here. You’ll notice that I will link from time to time back to CEB’s member websites; those of you who are also CEB members should have full access to those materials. If you work for a $1B+ company in North America, Australia, or Europe, there’s a good chance you already are a CEB member – just click here to check!

This will also be a forum for rumination (sometimes whimsical) about happenings in the broader business, academic, and social communities that use and touch IT on a daily basis, and the implications for IT leaders.

So. Shaping Demand. An explicit ask from business partners who want IT to play a more activist role in driving value. A big hairy audacious goal for IT leaders. Onwards.


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